SSS no longer issues new UMID cards. Since 1 October 2025, its official ID is the MySSS Card, an ID that also works as a debit card linked to a bank account for your SSS benefits and loans. You apply online through your My.SSS account, then open an account with a partner bank. The card arrives within about 15 working days in Metro Manila and 20 elsewhere.
You need a permanent SS number, a My.SSS account and a National ID (PhilSys) registration whose name and birth date match your SSS record. If you already have a UMID card, it’s still valid.
| What replaced UMID | The MySSS Card, SSS’s official ID since 1 October 2025 |
| What it is | An ID with an EMV chip that doubles as a debit card linked to a bank account |
| Who can apply | SSS members with a permanent SS number, a My.SSS account and a National ID registration |
| How | Online through My.SSS, then open an account with a partner bank |
| First partner bank | RCBC, with more banks planned |
| Delivery | Within about 15 working days (Metro Manila) or 20 (elsewhere) after your bank account opens |
| Old UMID cards | Still valid |
We are not SSS or the NBI. This is an independent guide. Apply only through your own My.SSS account and the partner bank’s official app or branch.
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What happened to the UMID card?
The UMID card served as the SSS ID for years, but SSS has replaced it with the MySSS Card. The biggest differences:
| UMID | MySSS Card | |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | ID card | ID card and debit card |
| Chip | UMID chip | EMV chip, like a bank card |
| Bank account | Optional, through separate enrollment | Opened with a partner bank as part of the application |
| Identity check | Biometrics captured at an SSS branch | Checked against your National ID record, with a facial scan |
| Where you apply | SSS branch appointment | Online through My.SSS, then the bank’s app or branch |
If you already have a UMID card, you don’t need to replace it. All SSS cards issued before are still valid.
Who can apply for the MySSS Card
You can apply if all of these are true:
- Your SS number is tagged as permanent.
- You’re registered on the My.SSS portal.
- Your address, mobile number and email in SSS records are up to date.
- You’re registered with the National ID (PhilSys).
- Your name and birth date match on your SSS and National ID records.
Watch the last point. A missing middle name, a different spelling or a married surname on one record but not the other will stop the application. Update the record that’s wrong first.
Before you apply
- Check your SS number status in My.SSS. If it’s temporary, have it made permanent by submitting your birth certificate or another accepted document to SSS.
- Register for the National ID if you haven’t. Registration is free, and your PhilSys record is what SSS checks your identity against.
- Update your contact details in My.SSS: address, mobile number and email.
How to apply for the MySSS Card, step by step
Step 1 — Start the application in My.SSS
Log in to My.SSS and open MySSS Card under Services. Confirm the personal details shown.
Step 2 — Verify your identity
Give your consent for SSS to check your details against the National ID system, then complete the facial scan. Use good lighting and look straight at the camera.
Step 3 — Choose a partner bank
Pick the bank that will issue the card. RCBC was the first partner, and SSS has announced more banks will follow.
Step 4 — Open your bank account
Finish opening the account through the bank’s app or at one of its branches. The card is issued once the account is open, so don’t leave this step half-done.
Step 5 — Receive and activate the card
The card is delivered within about 15 working days in Metro Manila and 20 working days elsewhere, counted from when your bank account opens. Follow the bank’s instructions to activate it.
How much does the MySSS Card cost?
SSS hasn’t announced a fixed price. Because the card is also a bank card, the partner bank may charge a card fee, so check the bank’s terms before you finish opening the account.
If you already have a UMID card
- It stays valid. You can keep using it as an ID.
- If it’s lost or damaged, apply for a MySSS Card as the replacement instead of a new UMID.
- If you receive SSS benefits through a UMID-linked account, check with SSS before changing anything, so your payments aren’t interrupted.
Using your UMID or MySSS Card for an NBI clearance
The NBI names the UMID as one of its example IDs, and existing UMID cards still count. The MySSS Card is SSS’s official ID, but because it’s newer, pair it with another ID from the NBI’s examples, such as your National ID or passport, until it’s widely known at branches. Our list of valid IDs for NBI clearance has the full picture.
Applying for your NBI clearance next? Here’s our step-by-step NBI clearance guide.
Common MySSS Card problems
| Problem | What to do |
|---|---|
| “SS number is not permanent” | Submit your birth certificate or another accepted document to SSS to make it permanent, then apply again |
| Your name or birth date doesn’t match your National ID | Correct the wrong record first, with SSS or PhilSys, then apply |
| You’re not registered with PhilSys | Register for the National ID first |
| The facial scan keeps failing | Try again in good light, without glasses or a cap, holding the phone at eye level |
| The card hasn’t arrived after 20 working days | Check that your bank account opening was completed, then contact the partner bank and SSS |
FAQs: UMID and MySSS Card
No. SSS replaced the UMID with the MySSS Card on 1 October 2025. New and replacement cards are issued as MySSS Cards.
Yes. All SSS cards issued before the MySSS Card are still valid.
Yes. You must be registered with PhilSys, and your name and birth date must match your SSS record.
Yes. It’s linked to a bank account with a partner bank, so you can receive SSS benefits and loans and use it for payments.
About 15 working days in Metro Manila and 20 working days elsewhere, counted from when your bank account is opened.
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